Unfortunately in regards to development of the CBD we are …

Unfortunately in regards to development of the CBD we are reliant on landowners, developers, governments of all kinds and private and taxpayers money in general to put any plan into practice.

Heritage, cultural considerations and established social norms also limit what can be done or not with some of the CBD blocks. A case in point is a suggestion on Friday (13/10) on ABC radio to move the Post Office (PO) out of the CBD, partly because occasionally it is congested at the front of the PO and hard to park within walking distance of the PO.

Well it could be argued that the daily or weekly visit to the PO draws people into the CBD, who do other activities in addition to visiting the PO, such as spending money in some of the struggling businesses surrounding the PO. In other words, moving the PO out of the CBD could kill the heart of Alice Springs. The PO is a link between Alice Plaza, court houses and the Yeperenye Centre and close to the main bus stop, a taxi bay and disabled persons car parking spaces.

Probably what is needed is a three or four storey car park south of the PO and / or make Hartley St one way going south and create angle parking on the PO side, if you look at Map 1 on page three of the Discussion Paper you will see this area is a very central location and easy walking distance to most of the rest of the CBD.

Discussion and planning can be good for any community, but money and the ownership of the land would appear to trump any plan prepared by the Planning Commission or Council, whether or not the plan is professionally drafted and / or put together with enthusiastic community support from a wide cross section of the people of Alice Springs.

Recent Comments by Bob Taylor

Make Oz Day a celebration of the future, not the pastHal: I agree Australia Day should be about the future, however most of the protesters would appear to be focused on the past.
Also on a positive note, a lot of our new Australians start their future as Australian citizens on Australia Day.
As far as the date is concerned we need to do more to include our children; our future.
We can do that by holding Australia Day during the school term, then the children can be more involved formally and informally in any community celebration.

The financial crisis in the Northern TerritoryWhat an interest opinion piece and factual set of numbers. Dr Hans Rosling (RIP) author of “Factfulness” would love the work done here in compiling the information, facts and figures supporting Bob’s article. I can only wonder what Dr Rosling or maybe his co-authors would make of it all.
“The Treasurer’s response to the Productivity Commission’s Report on the GST confirmed our worst fears” and would appear to be the nail in the coffin for business as usual for this and any future NT Governments and the minor states whether or not the people elect Labor or Liberal governments.
The present NT Treasurer or future treasurers will need to improve their lobbying skills, reduce spending and/or improve the economy so the NT and the smaller states have a more sustainable tax base.
On the increase in growth of the Indigenous population overall: On the figures stated and if immigration remains at its present number, will Australia reach a point in the near future where 51% or more of the population self identify as Indigenous or are born to one parent of Indigenous descent?
If so, what will be the implications for future budgets? And, will Horizontal Fiscal Equalisation and the Indigeneity factor still be needed?
I am sure some mathematically gifted person out there will be able to give us an answer and/or prove me wrong.

Alice in thrall of week-long sports extravaganzaYes, John Bell, you are so spot on with your comments here.
I was fortunate to witness Dick’s effort on Rhonda Diano Oval yesterday.
Dick was supported by Emma Kraft (Sport Medicine) and an enthusiastic crowd of fellow athletes and supporters. Well done, Dick Kimber.

Business group may establish ‘federal’ prison in The CentreIs the Alice Springs Major Business Group (ASMBG) looking at a Federal Prison or a Immigration Detention Centre?
They should be casting their net wider, i.e. Just recently the government (Barnaby!) were looking at decentralising some government departments to regional centres, so for example instead of centralising the Met Bureau in some capital cities why not centralise it here in Alice Springs?

SA budget allocation may put paid to Alice gallery: Higgins@ Hal Duell: You are right about investing in people and residential accommodation in the CBD, but the property owners will need to invest some of those profits they have made over the years or sell their properties onto someone who will invest in residential developments.
Interestingly the recent national growth figure is 3.4% and “PRIVATE capital investment grew at 12% last financial year in Tasmania.” (Today’s Mercury). Meanwhile the NT’s figures are negative.
@ Albert Diano: Fortunately I can’t see the Federal government of either persuasion investing in the CBD. What the CBD needs is more successful commercial businesses, preferably businesses that employ numerous and permanent employees, which should in turn with the above residential accommodation attract people and other businesses.